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Find your ward IEC councillor lookupExplain SA CoalitionsWhy team up? And why is it tricky?
A coalition is two or more parties agreeing to govern together. Here’s how it works in a council.
An imaginary council · 10 seats · 6 for a majority
Most seats ≠ a majority
SA’s election system gives different parties a share of the seats. Sometimes none wins more than half. That’s a hung council.
A is the biggest. Four still isn’t six.
Make a deal. Vote together.
Parties negotiate who leads and what to do. Councillors elect the mayor and vote on budgets. Partners stay separate parties, but agree to work together.
Party A4+Party C2=Together6Enough seats. Now agree on a plan.
Who leads · What gets funded · How to settle disputesThe deal has to hold
Partners can disagree over policies, jobs or spending. A small party can tip the balance. If support breaks down, budgets and decisions can stall.
6 / 10back the deal
↑ 6 needed. No seats to spare.
What if Party C leaves?
4 / 10still back the deal
↑ Still 6 needed. Now 2 short.
C keeps its seats. A needs new support to pass a budget.
Why six? A council budget needs support from more than half of all councillors. Other votes can follow different rules. Losing a partner doesn’t automatically remove a mayor.
Your deal0 / 17 seats
9 to go9 for a majority
Some assembly required.Order. Who’s still speaking to whom?
Who’s in?
Historical context
Hypothetical deal · Fictional scenario
Satire with sourced historical context. No affiliation or endorsement implied. Game context · Terms & liability limits · Report a concern
Beyond the game
Get involved in Hessequa
Follow the decisions. Raise a local priority. Your part in local politics can continue between elections.
Follow council decisions
Ask the municipal office for public council meeting dates, agendas and minutes. The Speaker’s office can help with attendance arrangements.
Municipal contact details What to look forHave a say on local priorities
Ask about ward meetings and opportunities to comment on the budget or Integrated Development Plan (IDP), which sets municipal priorities.
How to take part Municipal contact detailsAbout these local links
Notices and documents can cover past consultation periods. Check dates and submission instructions on the official page. After an election, confirm that a councillor directory covers the current term.
Official government directory. Ask for the Speaker’s office or public participation unit. Government directory ↗ · Link listed on 7 November 2026.
Madam Speaker
takes the floor.
“I’m Madam Speaker. Secretary bird. Keeper of the gavel. Please don’t make me use it.
Welcome to the bargaining table in Hessequa. One mayoral chain, several competing plans. You bring the partners. I’ll put the kettle on.”
The honourable cast
- Geordin Hill-LewisDA
- Cyril RamaphosaANC
- Gayton McKenziePA
- Corné MulderFF+
Fictional scenario. Party cameos, not a full list of local candidates.
Rules, real politics & sources
Seat calculation & source
These are the ward and PR seats published by the IEC. The totals add up to all 17 council seats. Feed coverage and seat allocations are separate from the national declaration: missing figures remain missing and estimates remain estimates. Corrections and re-votes may follow. A seat majority does not establish a governing agreement or who will become mayor.
IEC result time: 05 Nov 2026, 19:31 SAST · Source figures ↗
Tap parties to reach 9 seats, then roll the dice for one fictional scenario. Every roll starts from your original deal. Previously drawn scenarios stay out of the deck until the applicable cards run out. Every party follows the same rules. A “key partner” is one whose departure would put your deal below the majority target. Plot twists do not change the real results or your selection.
A seat majority does not confirm a governing agreement. The game uses a fixed majority of all council seats; real council votes can involve different attendance and voting rules. The caricatures represent national party leaders, not local candidates.
Inspired by the kingmaker politics and shifting alliances documented in MISTRA’s Coalitions Barometer. In May 2023, Johannesburg elected Al Jama-ah’s Kabelo Gwamanda mayor with 139 votes: a small party can win a very big chair. City record ↗
In the news
Coalition news · Hessequa
Since 4 November 2026 · From Google News
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